Coin dispensing devices



April 12, 1955 s. R. BERNSTEIN 2,705,964

COIN DISPENSING DEVICES Filed Oct. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T5. j- -r- INVENTOR. 60 IDNEY A? Bemvsrew United States Patent O COIN DISPENSING DEVICES Sidney R. Bernstein, New York, N. Y.

Application October 16, 1953, Serial No. 386,514

10 Claims. (Cl. 133-5) This invention relates to coin dispensing devices. It is particularly directed to a device for dispensing a selected number of the same coins.

An object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable and rugged coin dispensing device of the character, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate and to adjust, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a plurality of coin dispensing devices assembled together, with parts broken away and in cross-section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of said devices;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of a pair of such devices assembled together, with parts broken away and in cross-section;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the position of the device when coins are dispensed;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the master ejector;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of one of the ejector plates;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the adjusting plate; and

Fig. 13 is a view of the lever arm and illustrating a modified construction.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates an assembly of coin dispensing devices 11 embodying the invention. Each device 11 comprises a frame 12, provided with a top wall 13 from which extend downwardly side walls 14 and 15. The walls 14 and 15 taper slightly toward each other and rearwardly as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing. The top wall 13 thus becomes narrower toward its rear end. It is formed near its front edge 13a with a circular through opening 16 for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

The side wall 14 has a rear vertical edge 17. At its front side it is formed with a deep curved notch 18 above which is a straight edge 19 and below which is a straight edge 20. Near its upper rear corner, wall 14 is formed with a small opening 21 for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Wall 15 is formed at its front side with a notch 18a similar to notch 18 and with an edge 15a below the notch. Wall 15 is formed at its lower end with an upwardly opening outwardly extending channel 23 adapted to receive the lower edge 24 of an adjacent wall 14. The side wall 15 is formed at its front side with an outwardly extending rearwardly opening channel 26 to receive the front edge 19 of wall 14 of an adjacent unit 11. Wall 15 is formed with a threaded opening 27 registering with the opening 21 in wall 14. Adjacent members 11 "ice are held together by a screw 28 passing through opening 21 and screwed into threaded opening 27. Of course said units 11 are held together by engagement of channels 23 and 26 with edges 19 and 24 of wall 14.

The lower ends of walls 14 and 15 are interconnected and held in spaced relation by a bottom plate 30. Bottom plate 30 has at each side lug extensions 31 passing through holes 32 in side Walls 14 and 15, said lugs being riveted over to fix the plate 30 to said side walls. Said bottom wall is formed at its front edge with a central notch 30a.

Mounted on the bottom wall 30 and fixed thereto is a casing 33. Casing 33 comprises a top wall 34 parallel to the bottom plate 30, and extending downwardly from said top wall are side walls 35 parallel to each other and spaced from walls 14 and 15. Walls 35 have at their lower ends, lug extensions 36 passing through suitable openings 37 in the bottom wall 30. Said lug extensions are riveted over to fix the casing 33 to said bottom wall 30. Said top wall 34 is formed near its front edge with a circular opening 38 disposed directly beneath the opening 16 in the top wall 13. The said top wall 34 is also formed rearwardly of the opening 38 with a rectangular central opening 39 spaced from the rear edge 40 thereof. Said top wall 34 is formed with a through opening 41 between its rear edge 40 and rectangular opening 39. The bottom wall 30 is formed with a screw threaded through opening 42 disposed directly below the opening 41 in wall 34.

Fitted within the opening 38 is the lower end of a coin tube 45, the upper end of said tube passing upwardly through opening 16 to a point somewhat above the top wall 13. Tube 45 may be formed with slots or cutaways 47 at its front sides so that coins therein may be seen from the front of the tube. The upper end of said tube 45 projects into a coin receiving member 48 which closes the top end of the tube 45. Said member 48 comprises a cylindrical wall 49 passing through the opening 16 and receiving the upper end of the tube 45. At the lower end of cylindrical wall 49 is an annular flange 50 contacting the underside of top wall 13. At the upper end of cylindrical wall 49 is a top wall 50 which is concave and slants generally forwardly and upwardly and is formed with a diametric slot 51 through which coins are inserted, said coins dropping through the tube 45 for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.

Member 48 is fixed to the upper end of the tube 45 by indenting a portion 52 of the cylindrical wall 49 and pressing the same against the upper end of the tube 45. Any suitable means may be employed to fix the lower end of the tube 45 to wall 34, such as providing lugs at the lower end of the tube to be received in appropriate notches in said wall.

Slidably mounted within the casing 33 and between said casing and the bottom wall 30, is a master ejector 55. Said master ejector 55 comprises a top wall 56 formed with an opening 57 adapted to register with the lower end of the tube 45. The top wall 56 lies just beneath the top wall 34. Said top wall 56 is formed with a rear inwardly extending shallow notch 57. It is also formed adjacent the notch 57 with a transverse slot 58 for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Extending downwardly from the sides of the top wall 56 are a pair of parallel fingers 59. On opposite sides of the notch 57 are edges 60, said edges being bevelled for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The lower ends of the fingers 59 may rest on the upper surface of bottom wall 30.

interposed between top wall 56 and the bottom wall 30 are four similar, interchangeable ejector plates 61 and one adjusting plate 62. As will appear hereinafter, the adjusting plate 62 may be placed either beneath all four ejector plates 61 or beneath three of the ejector plates 61 and above one of them, or beneath two of the ejector plates and above two, as illustrated in the drawing, or beneath one of the ejector plates and above three of them, or above all four of the ejector plates and just beneath the top wall 56.

The position of the adjusting plates 62 determines how many coins are to be dispensed at each operation. The number of coins to be dispensed are equal to the number of ejector plates 61 above the adjusting plate 62, plus one. Thus, if the adjusting plate 62 is just below the top wall 56, only one coin will be dispensed. If there is one ejector plate 61 between the adjusting plate 62 and the top wall 56, then two coins will be dispensed at each operation. If the device is arranged as shown in the drawing, for the purpose of illustration, three coins will be dispensed at each operation. If there are three ejecting plates 61 above the adjusting plate, then four coins will be dispensed at each operation, and if there are four ejector plates 61 above the adjusting plate 62, then five coins will be dispensed at each operation. All this will be explained as the description of the device proceeds. The ejector plates will be first described.

Each ejector plate 61 comprises a flat plate formed with an opening 63 registering with the opening 57. Plate 61 is also formed with notches 64 in the sides thereof to receive the fingers 59 of the master ejector. Said plate is furthermore formed at its near end with a notch 65 registering with the notch 57 of top wall 56 of the master ejector. On opposite sides of notch 65 are outwardly bevelled edges 66 similar to bevelled edges 60 of top wall 56. Between the opening 63 and the notch 65 is a rectangular slot 67 similar to the rectangular slot 39 in the top wall 34 of the casing and registering therewith.

The adjusting plate 62 is formed of a single flat sheet of metal and is formed with a rectangular slot 68 adapted to register with the rectangular slots or openings 67 and 39 in the retracted positions of the master ejector and the ejector plates. Said adjusting plate 62 is formed with a through opening 69 located between the slot 68 and the rear edge 70 and adapted to register with the openings 41 and 42. Said plate 62 has rear side edges 71 adapted to coincide with the edges 61a of plate 60 rearwardly of the notches 64. Forwardly of the edges 71 are side edges 72 spaced closer together. In fact, the distance which separates the side edges 72 is equivalent to the distance which separates the inner edges of the notches 64 of plates 61. The reason for this construction will appear hereinafter. The adjusting plate 62 is always fixed in adjusted position. This is accomplished by a screw 74 which passes through openings 41 and 69 and is screwed into the threaded opening 42. The shank of the screw contacts the rear edges of the notches 57 and 65. Means is provided to slidably move forward the master ejector 55 and the four ejector plates 61 forwardly upon manual operation of the device by an operator.

To this end walls 14 and 15 are formed with indented apertured bosses 75 carrying a transverse horizontal shaft or pin 76 the ends of which may be upset or riveted so as to prevent sliding movement of said shaft. Rotatably mounted on shaft 76 is a lever 77. Said lever 77 comprises a sleeve 78 rotatably mounted on shaft 76. Extending downwardly from the sleeve 78 is an arm 79 to which is attached by screw 79' a slotted blade 79" projecting downwardly through the slot 39 in the top wall 34 and into slot 58 in the ejector member 55.

Normally the master ejector 55 and the ejector plates 61 are in rearward or retracted position contacting the shank of the screw 74, and in such position the openings 57 and 63 are located directly beneath the bottom end of the tube 45. In such position the arm 79 is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and its lower end is located adjacent the rear end of the slot 39. Means is provided to rotate the lever arm 77 forwardly in a clockwise direc tion, looking at Fig. 4, from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. to eject a selected number of coins. It will be noted that coins in the tube, in the top wall of the master ejector and in the ejector plates located above the adjusting plate 62, will rest on the adjusting plate. The top wall of the master ejector and the ejector plates 61 are of similar thickness and of the thickness of the coins in the tube 45.

Thus, when the adjusting plate is in a position of Fig. 4 there is one coin in the opening 63 of the ejector plate 61 thereabove, another coin in the opening 63 of the topmost ejector plate 61, and one coin in the opening 57 of the master ejector. When the arm 77 is swung forwardly in the manner to be explained hereinafter, the master ejector will'be slidably moved forwardly, and the master ejector will also move forwardly therewith all four ejector plates 41. When the coins in the openings 57 and 63 above the adjusting plate 62 are disposed forwardly of the front end of the adjusting plate, these coins will drop down and hence will be dispensed. It will be noted that the adjusting plate 62 has a notch at its front end so that the coins will clear the adjusting plate. Bottom wall 30 also has a central notch to facilitate dropping of the coins. As the master ejector 55 together with the ejector plate 61 are retracted, coins will again drop down until they contact the top surface of the adjusting plate 62.

The means for operating the lever arm 77 will now be described. Said means comprises an indented boss 81 on wall 15 formed with a central opening 82. Part of the wall 15 may be struck out and bent to form an inwardly extending arm 83 from which extends upwardly arm 84 parallel to wall 15 and formed with a through opening 85. Extending through the openings 82 and 85 is a transverse horizontal pivot pin 86. Mounted on pin 86 is a hand lever 87. The hand lever 87 comprises a handle 88 from which extend downwardly apertured cars 89 through which the pivot pin 86 passes. The handle 88 normally is inclined forwardly and upwardly. The ears 89 extend downwardly from the rear end of the handle. Also extending upwardly from the rear end of the handle is an arm 90 from which extends a bifurcated or slotted horizontal arm 91 straddling the arm 79. Disposed about the pin 86 is a torsion spring 92, one end of which engages the underside of the handle 88 and the other end of which is adapted to engage the arm 83. When the handle 88 is pressed downwardly, the bifurcated or slotted arm 91 will swing arm 79 in a clockwise direction, looking at Figs. 4 and 5, at the same time the torsion spring 92 is tensioned so that when the pressure is released from the handle 88, said torsion spring will raise the handle, and at the same time arm 79 will be swung in a counterclockwise direction to retract the master ejector 55 and the ejector plates 61.

In order to change the adjustment from a three coin ejectment as shown in the drawing, the screw 74 is unscrewed, the adjusting plate 62 is slidably moved rearwardly. The adjusting plate is then reinserted and placed at any desired position relative to the plates 61. The screw 74 is then reinserted through the openings 41 and 69 and screwed into the threaded opening 42. The bevelling at the rear edges of wall 56 and plates 61 facilitates insertion of the adjusting plates 62 in any desired position.

In Fig. 13 there is shown a modified construction for the arm 79. In Fig. 13 arm 79a is comprised of two parts. One part will be designated as part 79b and the other part as 791:. Part 79:: is formed with a longitudinal slot to receive screw 101 screwed to a threaded opening 102 in part 79b. Thus, the length of arm 79 can be adjusted to facilitate withdrawal of the plates.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A coin dispenser comprising a frame having a top, bottom and side walls, a member fixed to the frame and having a wall parallel to and spaced above the bottom wall of the frame, said parallel wall being formed with a coin opening and said top wall being formed with an opening aligned therewith, a coin tube having its lower end attached to said parallel Wall and communicating with the opening therein, said coin tube passing upwardly through the opening in the top wall of the frame, a lever arm pivoted on and between the side walls of the frame and disposed in back of the coin tube, said parallel wall having a slot, the lower end of said lever arm passing through said slot, a master ejector slidably mounted between said parallel wall and the bottom wall of the frame, said master ejectorhaving a top wall disposed just beneath said parallel wall and formed with a coin opening registering with the lower end of the tube and being formed with a slot to receive the lower end of the lever arm, a plurality of superimposed ejector plates below the top wall of the master ejector and having coin openings registering with the opening in said top wall of the master ejector, said master ejector having means engaging said ejector plates to cause said ejector plates to slide with the master ejector when said master ejector is slidably moved, an adjusting plate having a portion disposed beneath and overlapping the coin openings in the top wall of the master ejector and in said ejector plates, and means to selectively fix the adjusting plate relative to the frame, either beneath the top wall of the master ejector or beneath any one of the ejector plates, whereby coins in the tube will drop through the opening in the top wall of the master ejector and through the openings in any of the ejector plates which are above the adjusting plate to rest on the adjusting plate, and whereby forward sliding movement of the master ejector will carry all the ejector plates forwardly therewith and will cause the coin or coins in the coin opening in the master ejector and in the coin openings in the ejector plates above the adjusting plate, to move to a position forwardly of the front edge of the adjusting plate so that they will drop out and be dispensed.

2. The combination of claim 1, the forward edge of the adjusting plate being located rearwardly of the forward end of the coin tube.

3. The combination of claim 1, said means for moving the ejector plates together with the master ejector comprising fingers extending downwardly from the sides of the top wall of the master ejector and engaging notches formed in the sides of the ejector plates.

4. The combination of claim 1, in combination with means to cause pivotal movement of the lever arm.

5. The combination of claim 3, said means for pivotally moving the lever arm comprising a member pivoted relative to the frame and having a forwardly extending handle, forked means on said member engaging the lever arm whereby downwardly pressure of the handle will cause the lever arm to be swung forwardly, and spring means to raise the handle and swing the lever arm rearwardly upon relieving the pressure from said handle.

6. A coin dispenser comprising a frame having a bottom wall, a casing fixed to the bottom wall, said casing having a wall parallel to and spaced above the bottom wall, and formed with a coin opening, a tube fixed to the coin opening and extending upwardly from said parallel wall, said parallel wall being formed with a slot, a master ejector slidably within said casing and having a top wall disposed just beneath said parallel wall and formed with a coin opening registering with the lower end of the coin tube, said master ejector having a slot, a lever arm pivoted to the frame, the lower end of the lever arm passing through the slot in the parallel wall and engaging the slot in the top wall of the master ejector, a plurality of super-imposed ejector plates slidable between the bottom wall of the frame and the top wall of the master ejector and formed with coin openings registering with the coin opening in the top wall of the master ejector, means on the master ejector releasably engaging the ejector plates to cause said ejector plates to slide with said master ejector, an adjusting plate, and means to fix the adjusting plate relative to the frame, in selected position either beneath the top wall of the master ejector or beneath any one of the ejector plates with the front end of the adjusting plate partially overlapping the coin openings in said ejector plates and top wall of said master ejector.

7. The combination of claim 6 in combination with means for rotating said lever arm.

8. The combination of claim 7, said top wall of the master ejector and said ejector plates having bevelled edges to facilitate insertion of the adjusting plate therebetween.

9. A coin dispenser comprising a frame having a bottom wall, a wall fixed to the frame and disposed parallel to and above the bottom wall, a coin tube fixed to the parallel wall and extending upwardly therefrom and communicating with a coin opening in said parallel wall, a master ejector slidable between the parallel wall and the bottom wall and formed with a coin opening registering with the lower end of the tube in the retracted position of said master ejector, a plurality of super-imposed ejector plates disposed between the top wall of the master ejector and said bottom wall, and having coin openings registering with the coin opening in the top Wall of the master ejector, disengageable means to cause the ejector plates to slidably move with the master ejector, an adjusting plate overlapping the openings in said ejector plates and in said top wall of the master ejector, means to selectively fix the adjusting plate either beneath the top wall of the master ejector or beneath any one of the ejector plates, and manual means to cause the ejector plate to be slidably moved forwardly from its retracted position.

10. The combination of claim 9, said ejector plates and said top wall of the master ejector being of the same thickness.

No references cited. 

